How to Recognize and Avoid Skin Disease Triggers

Psoriasis, excema, rosacea -- there are treatments, but no known cure. Recognizing triggers that cause psoriasis, excema, or rosacea can help prevent or relieve breakouts.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Understand the condition and underlying causes. Your skin can develop chronic conditions which can range from annoying to quite serious. Three of the most common, are rosacea, excema, and psoriasis.

2. Limit exposure to rosacea triggers -- Those most likely to develop rosacea are fair-skinned women ages 30 to 50. People with rosacea should avoid hot drinks, spicy foods, alcohol, caffeine and irritating cosmetics products. They should use alcohol-free soap and moisturizers, limit sun exposure, and pat the face dry instead of rubbing with a towel. Dermatologists can recommend gels, creams, oral antibiotics or creams that contain cortisone. Green tinted cosmetics may help cover the redness.

3. Understand the factors that can make excema worse -- if your skin is chronically inflamed and uncontrollably itchy, you’ve probably got eczema. Though the cause is unknown, many factors may make it worse: allergies, dry skin, extremes of temperature, detergents, rough wool, anxiety, and stress.

4. Recognize psoriasis triggers and exacerbating factors -- these can include emotional stress, skin injury, systemic infection, reaction to medication. Scratching itchy skin worsens psoriasis and can cause new lesions. Using moisturizing creams and ointments is recommended in dry heat. So is patting the skin dry after bathing, instead of rubbing it with a towel.

Tips & Warnings

• Many skin diseases have similar symptoms, but very different treatments. If you're subject to breakouts, see a physician, and a dermatologist, to get a specific diagnosis and treatment plan.
• This article is presented for informational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of a healthcare professional.